A. Field
This invention relates to a floor panel, as well as a method, a device and accessories for manufacturing such floor panel.
B. Related Art
Thereby, it also relates to a number of methods that can be applied indirectly in the manufacturing process of the floor panels, such as etching techniques, which are particularly suited for realizing press plates that can be applied when manufacturing floor panels, whereby these etching techniques, according to the present invention, however, are not limited to this field of application.
More particularly, the invention relates to floor panels of the type which, at least at two opposite edges, is provided with coupling parts, whereby this floor panel comprises a printed decor, a top layer, more particularly a laminate layer on the basis of synthetic material, and an underlying substrate, whether or not composed of several layers or parts. Examples thereof are known, amongst others, from the patent documents WO 97/47834, WO 01/96689, WO 02/058924, WO 2004/063491 and DE 20 317 527. More particularly, it relates to floor panels for forming a floating floor covering.
It is known that in the upper side of such floor panel, a relief can be provided by means of embossments that are provided in the synthetic material-based laminate layer, whereby this mostly takes place by using a press plate provided with a relief. So, it is known, for example, from WO 01/96689, how wood structures, more particularly wood pores, can be imitated by means of embossments, whereas it is known from WO 02/058924 to imitate also deeper situated joints in a tile decor by means of embossments.
The present invention in general aims at a floor panel of the aforementioned type, whereby, by the application of well-defined technical characteristics, amongst others, a broader range of application possibilities is created and/or better imitations of wood floors or stone floors or the like can be realized and/or improved floor panels can be obtained.